The start of construction of the Regionaltangente West
cannot be overestimated.
It not only proves that the expansion of local public transport is progressing.
It also stands for regional cooperation and the innovative strength of the metropolitan area.
While all other lines are aligned in a star pattern to Frankfurt Central Station, the trains of the Regionaltangente West are to circumnavigate the city center of the Main metropolis in a semicircle.
In the west through Frankfurt-Höchst, hence the name.
The project cleverly connects existing routes.
The gaps in between are to be gradually closed with new tracks.
This solution requires expensive vehicles that can cope with different power and signal systems, a principle that was first tried out in Karlsruhe and later also in Kassel, where it still works today.
West is ahead of East
One should not assume that the new connection will suddenly solve all traffic problems, not even in the connected cities.
But in many cases it will be attractive for passengers to use the two lines that will one day run on the new rails.
For example for the way from Bad Homburg to the airport or from Neu-Isenburg to the Industriepark Höchst.
In any case, Neu-Isenburg benefits in a special way, because in this town an old freight train line, which leads into the middle of the town, is being revived.
Should Neu-Isenburg one day also get a tram connection to Frankfurt, the boomtown could become a hub for local transport.
However, it is also true that once again the west of the Rhine-Main area is ahead of the east.
That was already the case when the S-Bahn network was built.
But the East is no less important.
For this reason, planning for the counterpart, the Regionaltangente Ost, which has only been vaguely outlined so far, should begin as soon as possible.
There, too, it can take decades before the groundbreaking ceremony takes place.
However, the start of construction for the other project west of Frankfurt on Monday shows that it is worth starting.